Hi everyone nice to meet you all. I am 36 female wife, mother of two, 20 and soon to be 17, and chronic pain sufferer. My oldest is getting married in Aug. He has a son of his own will be 1 in June and fiance has 3yr old daughter. My youngest is multihandicapped but a joy nonethe less. My DX;s are lupus/fibro, late lyme disease, RLS(restless leg syndrome though mine is all through body) PlMD(periodic limb movement disorder(looks like seizures in sleep preventing REM sleep), chronic migraines, DDD(degen disc disease) and chronic mild low grade depression(duh)

Anyway my most dominate problem at moment is DDD and lyme. I am a nurse and so far have found most docs to be moron's not nice to say but true. So far pain is not well controlled. Current meds if interrested are klonopin for PLMD and RLS, zanaflex for horrible muscle spasms, doxycycline for lyme, ASA for lupus anticoagulant, premarin for total hyst in Nov., duragesic for pain and vicuprofen for BT pain, elavil for sleep and chronic pain and depression.

I still work part time though it is getting harder and harder other than that I am a reclyner and bed ridden hermit and burden to the most wonderful hubby on earth. Boring though it maybe that is my story and I am sticken to it. Thanks for listening and being here.

Last edited by Administrator; 07-09-2004 at 04:43 PM.
Reason: changed title

I am new here as well. I am a 33 yr. old female, divorced with 2 boys ages 8 & 9 yrs. I have always been very healthy until February of this year. I ended up VERY sick with a liver problem. After 1 week in our hospital and the removal of my dead galbladder & a liver biopsy I was sent to the University hospital 3 hours away. Finally got a diagnosis of Autoimmune Hepatitis. It's a disorder where my immune system is attacking my liver and pancreas. I remained there for 2 more weeks. I've been in the hospital 3 more times and 2 more ERCP procedures since then. I suffer from very bad pain in my liver area. My liver is twice the size as normal. SO I'm dealing with the major pain on meds and many other meds that I have to take on a daily basis. And my docs are trying to figure out what to do next. Eventually a liver transplant will be part of that plan I'm told. It will cure my sick liver but I will still have the Autoimmune problem and it could attack the new liver as well. I never knew a liver could cause so much pain. I have been finally been accepted for temporary disability for now through my work insurance.
THis board is wonderful. There are so many caring people here . Thank YOu
Also My Autoimmune disorder is hereditary. The docs found the "markers" for it in my blood. Now I"m going to have my kids tested to see if they may develop it someday. I hope not!!!!!

Last edited by tinavamp; 07-28-2004 at 08:57 AM.

The Following User Says Thank You to vamp36 For This Useful Post:
jroseliver (09-24-2012)

Where to start?? I'm a 52 wife/mom/granny. I worked for ma bell 19 yr. and was FORCED to retire on disabilty in 1992. Had been a lineman,central office wireing tech. blah blah blah. I was a tomboy and very, very fit! When I was 24 I fell 18 ' from a pole and hit the ground twice (caught a barb wire fence it bounced me back up) and knocked me out. A co-worker found me and got me to the hospital where they found I had a concussion but from x-ray tech in 1974 didn't find my back problems. Had bach ache's and problems off and on they would usually ease up in 2-3 weeks but I figured they came with the turf < you (a woman} do a mans job you pay the price> I loved what I did and it almost killed me to know I would never be able to work again. Its been 12 years now I'm still bitter over it. Any way back to the subject. In 1992 I was getting ready for work and STARTED to bend over in the bathroom to get a something or other and BAM I couldn't move!!! My then husband was in bed not 8' from me and the pain was so intense I couldn't call loud enough to even wake him!! finially got him awake and he carried me to bed.I could not make my legs move for love nor money!! He called our pcp and he called in pain meds. and muscle relaxers. My ex keep me knocked out for about 2 weeks carrying me to the bathroom when I needed to go ect. Then went for and MRI to find out I had buldged 4 disk ,have DDD,spinal stenoses? and from there to a PT that had a full immersion water tank where it took me 4 mo. to be able to walk again. Long story short, instead of getting better my problems snowballed on me. Being on all types of pain med. antidepressents, muscle relaxers and other meds you all know the drill on tolerance, was changed to methadone in 2000 besides my other meds. Then in Sept.-Dec. of 2003 started having having black-outs. Told my pcp and he said that I had built up toxic levels of meds and needed to detox them out. I did so in hospital beause of med problems and almost died from complications, they also think I had atleast one stroke or more! I have lost memories, of every thing from how to cook to how to turn on the computer!!! I was a geek LOL but no more not even basic things!! Now from Jan to Now I went through every med my doc threw at me from nuronton sp? to ultracet effexor, all muscle relaxers I don't even remember them all trying to stay away from the narcotics. None worked I was a veg. from the pain for 6 mo. Finally wrote a letter ( thax Shoreline) and got my doc to realize just how my life wasn't anything more than just existing and trying to get through the day till nite when I could get 1-2 hr of sleep the only time I didn't hurt so bad. Wanting to stay low on the narcotics he added norco 10, 4 X day in Jun. This has allowed me to at least sit up to eat and not be a complete veg. though the pain level is still running 7-8 it beats the excruciating pain I was in. I'm still haveing protracted w/d symptoms but some are wearing off,so far still no luck with the memories but I still keep the faith that some if not all will come back this has had me sooo depressed and embarassed to have to ask my hubby of six years, {not the other b*****d} things I should know but don't, I feel he gets upset that I don't remember I do feel he loves me but dosen't understand what I went through with detox and the last 7 mo. Mine wasn't the norm detox in !! Even I don't understand it!! I go back to pcp tomorrow will see what he says, I went to my pain mang. doc and had the 3 round of epidurals 2 week apart, that helped some . My pcp is supposed to call my pm to see about putting me back under his care they both have been good to me so we'll see what happens. So thats most of my story sorry its so long. I look forward to being online line more and makeing friends with people that understand, it helps to have someone like yourself to talk to. Thax for listening.

I am new to this board. I am a 37 yo [ removed ]. I have been unable to work for 18 mos now due to chronic pain in low back right hip and leg. I have been to a couple of docs b4 finding a PM doc who is decent and doesn't treat everyone like a 'drug seeker'. I have had many spinal injections--have S1 radiculopathy acording to a nerve conduction study. Nothing found that could be taken care of surgically. I had a failed Spinal cord stimulator trial and had a Intrathecal pump trial yesterday. I did get some relief and have pretty much decided that this is the route I am going to take. My only other option is to stay on meds (large doses of OC and roxicodone for BT pain) which doesn't seem like the best option for several reasons. I am wondering if anyone has had a pump and didn't get relief with it or had problems with it. Overall--it seems like most people have pretty good success with the pumps from what I have read. I have a few other minor health problems (at least they seem minor compared to this chronic pain). I am in the process of filing for SSD right now--my first application was denied and I have an attorney now who is filing an appeal. My level of functioning has declined so much--I have struggled with depression and anxiety since all of this started. People just don't understand what it is like to live with pain everyday. I am over being frustrated by that or with trying to explain it. I think it is like some other things in life--you have to go thru it to even begin to understand what it does to you physically, emotionally.....every way!
I have a wonderfully supportive family--3 children 18, 16 and 10. Am glad to find this board--have been looking for something like this. If anyone has anything to say about intrathecal pumps, I am very interested in learning as much as possible.
thanks for reading.

I am a 28 year old female who has suffered from chronic back pain for over 10 years. I was in a car accident when I was 16 and have had problems ever since. I also hurt myself again about a year-and-a-half ago at work lifting a patient. Now I suffer from left leg pain in addition to the back pain. I have tried many meds except the CII drugs because I don't want to take them. I have tried injections several times with no relief. I just want to feel better. My surgeon has referred me now to check into a SCS and that is now my next step. Thanks for listenening.

In april '01 I woke up around 3:30am in horrorific abdominal pain and my wife took me to er. I had perferrated diverticulitis. After ten days of absolutely nothing to eat or drink, not even a teenie weenie ice chip, they removed 16" of large intestine and gave me a cholostomy bag. I was discharged from the hospital after another 5 days and had an in home nurse that came to see me everyday for a week. She found that incision was infected in a couple of places, which required more anitbiotics. The bag was removed and the colon resectioned in another 3 mos using the same incision as before. skip ahead 6 mos., I still feel like the incision is healing (burning, stinging,don't even think about touching it!). Next time you have surgery, try going a day w/o pain meds. Pcp doesn't think that I'm in pain, just wanting drugs. Start feeling really sick to my stomach most of the time and my pcp finely starts to send me to specialists, stillno pain meds. After another 6mos. My gi finds I have gallstones and surgeon removes bladder, says "severely! inflamed, and probablly for at least 9mos." Anyway through this whole ordeal none of these drs will give me anything but vicodin 5/500 x2. After I got the gall bladder removed, I changed pcps but my new pcp didn't beleive I could still be experiencing pain from previous surgery and would rx vicodin 5/500 1x as needed. Needless to say, that didn't even begin to touch the pain and i had to resort to less than fully legal means of obtaining enough meds to barely get by on. I finally got her refer me to PM. PM dr is great. He has me lift up my shirt, studies the scars, and says "hurts most here and here", while pushing on two spots on my stomach. Bang he had indeed nerve, literally. He goes on to say it looks like you might have some infection in those two spots that prevented the nerves from knitting back together properly, which is now keeping the all the signals mixed up. a very compassionate man, he immeadiately took me of the vicodin 5/500s (x8) and put me no "some longer lasting relieve - MS contin 15mg x2. After 3 days I called him back to say that the MS contin was only good for about 8 hours so without any questions he upped it to x3, huh, wait a minute i haven't even begged yet! A couple of months later he adds MSIR x2 PRN for bt. Lately I've been dealing with additional intestinal pain issues so we're trying Oxycontin 20mg x3 with Oxycodone 5mg x3 PRN for bt. although all opiods can be constipating we thought maybe the Oxy might be less troublesome for me. He's leaving it up to gi dr as to whether or not steriods might be helpful for pain relief. Well that's my story. Reading what some of you go through on a daily basis really makes me feel blessed to have such minor problems. Everyone be as pain free as you can be.

I am a 32 yr old female, married w/2 kids 6yr old son & a 13 yr old daughter.
I live in the east part of Arizona.

I have been living with chronic pain for 1 1/2 years. I had a x-ray then MRI in March to diagnose the ddd & Arthritis.

I have ddd in my L-5, L-4 lumbar spine. Also arthritis throughout back & possibly fibromalagia in upper back between shoulder blades. I am working w/ my doc to figure out my upper back pain diagnosis. I have IBS and colitis. I was recently diagnosed with Diabetes, and I need to get the 2 hr test to find out which type of Diabetes I have.

I am currently taking 80mg of Oxycontin 2x a day & Perocet 10mg for BT pain. I also take 60mg of of Cymbalta, Paxil Cr 25mg, Lasix (water pills for swelling), Flexeril muscle relaxor & Elavil 1-3 a night.

I have had 5 epidural injections from my PM doc this year without any relief.

My PM doc suggested I see a surgeon for my back. I would like to get the new artificial disk that was recently approved. I may have to wait a bit if my insurance won't cover it yet. I am willing to wait. I do not want rods and cages in my spine. I have heard too may horror stories of failed surgeries. I guess I am scared to have any surgery again.

My surgery history: I had gastric bypass in March 2003. I was 270 pds at the time of surgery. I am 140 now. I am thrilled with the weight loss. I really hoped that with the weight loss I would have improvment with my back pain. Unfortunally the damage was already done. I know that being obese for 5 years helped to worsen my ddd.

I have had 3 surgerys since my inital gastric bypass surgery in March of 2003.

I had my gallbladder removed due to gallstones that were incredably painful.

The worst surgery of all was in June of this year. My surgeon that did my laposcopic gastric bypass did not make my small intestine, that is connected to my new stomach pouch, long enough. The medical term is a Short Loop. I found this out after they rushed me the ER and we thought I was having a heart attack. They inatilly thought that because I had terrible upper stomach pain and arm pain.

It turned out to be that my intestine burst open and I was literally dying. My body was toxic. They did an MRI and found air in my stomach and bumped all of the other patients out of the OR and rushed me into surgery. It was the scariest time in my life to say the least! I was in the hospital for a week. I have a scar from under my breasts to right above my pelvic area. I had staples in for 3 weeks.

I am so thankful to be alive today! Even though I live with chronic pain every day.

Thanks for listening to my story!
I look forward to getting to know all of you better!

It is so nice to read these posts and realize that although our stories are different we are so much alike in that we are just trying to cope with living rather than try to work more to have more like so many people I see.
My story and surgeries are rather long here goes.
1985 diagnosed with Mitral Valve prolapse of the heart
1986 first pregnancy sick 9 months
1987 diagnosed with fibromyalgia
1987 second pregnancy horrible
1987 diagnosed with severe irritable bowel
1988 tubal ligation
1987 first kidney stone 1 week in hospital
1988 second kidney stone
1991 appendectomy
1992 mononucleosis
1992 kidney stones
1992 sprain left ankle
1993 kidney stones
1994 laproscopy to look for female problems
1995 partial hysterectomy
1996 kidney stones
1997pulled and tore muscles in right shoulder
a few years of just dealing and many more episodes of kidney stones
2001 spinal menigitis ( near death experience)
2003 spondylilothesis and three stress fractures of the back
2003 gall bladder removal
2003 one level fusion
2003 cage shot out into spinal column
2003 another back surgery to remove cage
2004another bout of kidney stones ten episodes to date
2004 two level front/back spinal fusion with bone graft
Now I am dealing with the surgery which was four weeks ago, the fibromyalgia, the irritable bowel and excessive scar tissue due to all of the surgeries. I take my meds are try to do everything I can everyday because as you can see I never know what may happen tomorrow.
I wish everyone on these boards great mental health which is more important than physical health.
God Bless you all
lisa

Hi all,
Kevin from upstate NY although after twenty years in Florida that will always be home. 48 yrs old, divorced, live with my ex(long story), two daughters 18 & 20 still at home and the reason I am still here. (on earth and in NY).
Suffered with low back pain for twenty years on and off. Sometimes intense. Used to run marathons in between bouts of pain. Five years ago I herniated L5-S1. Tried valiantly to avoid surgery. Surgeons in particular. Finally relented after PT and meds failed. MRI showed major blow out with lots of "old stuff". Doc said no amount of injections or PT was going to fix it. Called in another Doc as he was looking at MRI and other docs response was "holy %$&*. Six weeks post-op discectomy I developed severe leg pain again. Surgeon ordered another MRI which showed "massive scar tissue" wrapped around nerve root. Also have bulging L3-L4 & L4-L5. Off to PM. Two ESI. No relief, Roller coaster of anti-seizure, anti-depressant and some lortab. The only relief I get is from opiods/opiates. Plus agressive PT. Got PM doc to up me to Lorcet 10/650. Too much tylenol. PM doc has discharged me to my primary. That's where I am now. My next step is to talk to my primary to reduce tylenol and look at using long acting meds. Lorcet gets my pain down almost 50%. Not quite. It's a long and frustrating journey. Thanks to all who post here. You have been life savers!

I am not so old; just feel it some days. I have been involved AGAINST my will with chronic pain for 5 years now and my miracle has been the Duragesic patch 100mcg Q 48 hrs. ;Dilaudid 4 mgs for b/t but I hardly need it and rarely use it cause it is squirrely and I can get to liking it too much. For some reason
here in the Southern Cal. desert area, I have been so lucky to have found very willing doctors to treat myofascial pain and an old sacral fracture.....Kaiser has been wonderful and now I have another PCP in a new health insurance who never questioned my pain med needs...with LOTS of past history charting from Kaiser and she completely continued my narcotics when I had to change insurances. I, too, am waiting to try my first generic fentanyl patch and will be interested to hear about others reactions to the new Mylan product. The winter does not help those of us with chronic pain but soon the spring shall arrive. I have also tried a myriad of other things....way too long of a list to mention except I cannot have an MRI or it will nuke my pacemaker and I cannot use a TENS for the same reason. Heat helps..........I do my own trigger point injections with lidocaine; very easy to do in fact. Lots of other things might help if I had lots of money lying around.
OK I am here and TY for reading,
Sparkles
PS I better mention I have peptic ulcer disorder thus NO NSAIDS, Cox2s,aspirin or Tylenol for me (liver hates tylenol) so I know it seems like I have heavy duty meds and I do but i NEVER take for granted or abuse and they let me live.

Hi all. I am fairly new to the site and have posted in other areas my story. But here is my story in a nut shell.
I am single 51 years old. My problem really began in 1988 when I was 35 years old and has been an on going saga ever since.

In 1988 I developed some radiating pain to the left kidney area, low back pain, was nauseaous and some other symptoms which I don't recall at this point. So I went to my doctor and initally thought that I had kidney stones. So I went thru a test called an IVP to determine if there were kidney stones or not. Well after doing the test, then redoing it again, then redoing it yet another time, it was determined that I didn't have kidney stones. In fact it was determined that I not only did not have kidney stones, but I was also missing a kidney, a congenital condition. What a surprise to myself and family. No one ever knew. Years later, my older sister was found to also be missing her kidney from birth. We are both missing our left kidneys. So what was the problem? It turned out that I had bulging discs in the lumbar spine. At that time I tried bed rest, pain killers, which did not work. I eventually was hospitalized and placed in traction. Well I was fine for a while thereafter. Then in 1993 the problem reoccured. The bulging discs became herniated discs and surgery on the lumbar area was done. That was 1994 when the surgery was done. 1995 comes around and now I have cervical problems ----- stenosis from C3-7 and surgery was done. Well I'm now back on track for awhile until 1996 when my lumbar area acts up again. Well unfortunately at this time I was seeing some bad doctors and got bad advise. The only way I can describe what was occurring was the way I was walking. I was hunched over and could not stand erect. I looked like the character Igor from the movie Young Frankenstein. It wasn't until 1997 that I finally found someone that was able to help me. I walked this way for 14 months until surgery on the lumbar area was done. The condition was Flatback syndrom which required instrumentation in the spine. Finally, I was walking normally again. Then 1999 rolls around and there goes the pain again, but now in the neck again after the prior surgery. The diagnosis "kyphosis". Surgery was done in 2 stages. Instrumentation from C3-T4 levels posterior and the second part the graft from C3-7. In the interim, I now start complaining about thoracic pain. What was the problem. CT/Myelgram show 4 herniations to the spine. Pain management tried and still suffer radiating pain, crushing feeling in the thoracic area. Epidurals were tried and no relief.
Just to back track, after my first surgery in 1994, I developed tremors of the left arm. After testing was done, the conclusion was that I had Parkinson's disease. I got a second opinion and pretty much confirmed the diagnoses. Well I treated until 1997 when it was discovered that I was misdiagnosed. The problem was not Parkinson's disease. No one was ever able to confirm what the problem was.
In the midst of all the above, I was caregiver for both my parents. My past have both passed away since that time. But ended up being caregiver for 14 years.
Anyway, 2003 rolls around and I ended up in the hospital. Not knowing what was wrong with me. They found that I had the following. Blood clots in the left leg --- surgery was done. I also was diagnosed with pancratitis, kidney failure and diabetes. My blood sugar, where normal level is about 100 mg, was running approximately 1600 mg. I shocked everyone that I was not in a coma at that blood sugar level. So here I am now on insulin to control the diabetes. My left leg where the surgery was done, ended up being affected by the diabetes in that I now have Peripheral Neuropathy.
Will this insanity ever end? Well guys this is my story.
Hope to post again soon and hear from you all. Go out and make it a pain free day.

Hi everyone, I posted in a few other places, but realized I hadn't given my entire story here yet.

I am 28 year old father of 2. My first real experience with persistent pain was with my neck, shoulders, and upper back off and on from 2001-2004. I had burning pain, radiations to both arms, and a knifelike sensation under my right shoulder blade. Over the course of those 3 years, I had 3 different PCPs and a number of different tests etc. I had PT off and on the entire time. Eventually nothing was helping and I was referred to a Neurosurgeon who ultimately found I had ruptured disks at C4-C5 and C5-C6 with associated nerve inflamation. I had Anterior cervical fusion at both levels in May 2004. After recovering from post op pain, I moved to Northeast Kansas where I lived now and was relatively pain free until August of 2004.

In August 2004, I started having intense low back pain with radiation into my left leg and foot. I had an X-ray and MRI and was diagnosed with a Grade 2 spondylolithesis at L5-S1 along with beginning disc degeneration at 3 Lumbar levels, though none had ruptured or herniated as of yet. After 2.5 months I finally saw the only orthopedic group here in December 04. The Ortho Dr. there prescribed me Tramadol 50 mg 1-2 every 4-6 hours as well as telling me to take tylenol 1000 mg 4 times a day and Ibuprofen 800 mg 3 times a day. I had a bad reaction to the Tramadol in that it gave me severe headaches and dizziness and hasn't relieved my back pain at all. I have had 3 epidural steroid injections, 3 peroneal nerve root blocks, and one paravetebral nerve root block in addtion to almost 5 months of physical therapy with NO pain relief. I have requested a referral to a PM but have been refused by both my Ortho Dr. and my PCP.

I am now in the process of trying to get into see a pain management Dr. as I am now going on 9 months with severe pain and no pain management at all. I don't mind trying any treatment modality to alleviate the problem, but I feel like I shouldn't have to suffer like this month after month while my Dr.s do nothing that works. I have repeatedly pleaded my case to both my PCP and Ortho Dr. and neither will do anything to provide me even moderate pain relief. Like so many on here, I have been made to feel guilty for asking for pain medication even though I have yet to be given anything stronger than Tramadol. I can't sleep at night, can't work, and have had to eliminate almost every activity from my life that involves physical activity or sitting for more than a half hour or so because of debilitating pain.

I really appreciate everyone who is here and being able to share this experience with others who have experienced the same thing. There is nothing worse than untreated Chronic Pain. You are all in my prayers every day as I hope I am in yours. Thanks again for listening.

Hi Everyone!
Heres my story: about 10 years ago I noticed a terrible pain inbetween my shoulder blades and radiating down my right arm. At the time I owned a small art gallery and frame shop, I was on my husbands insurance from his job as I was self employed. We had a family doctor that had always been friendly if a little arrogant, I went to see him and he diagnosed a torn trapezoid and prescribed vicodin and soma. every 5 days or so the vicodin was gone, the pain was worse, and he was getting snottier and snottier with me. He prescribed PT massage, and that made it worse. finally after 3 months, I could no longer hold anything in my right hand without dropping it, My right arm was swollen, and I had sold my business for next to nothing because I could not function. I begged him for an MRI. He sighed and agreed, and 2 weeks later finally I had the MRI. The next day I saw him and he seemed very very nervous and told me I had a ruptured cervical disc at C-7. He apologized over and over and sent me to a neurosurgeon. The neurosurgeon put me on 80 lortab 7.5 and 60 dalmane per week, and I had the bone fusion surgery within the month. The pain didn't get better. My arm still hurt and still swelled up, I still dropped things, I still had trouble lifting and moving without pain. At first the surgeon was kind, he ordered x-rays and pointed out that the fusion was 'perfect' (he liked himself a LOT lol) and that I shouldnt have anymore pain. He put me on a 10lb lifting weight limit for LIFE and refused to send me to PT, He said it wouldnt help. after 6 weeks, I called for a re-fill and was told I had to return to my fam. practice doc for further medications. Sooo back I go to the doctor that had apologized to me, I think he was scared I was going to sue him, he acted very weird, every time I called or came in, he said 'oh I'll give you vicodin' once I went in for an upper respitory infection and he said 'Oh, I can give you some vicodin' I said ...'don't I need an anti-biotic?' he said.'sure, anything you want' the hell? I think he thought I might sue him so he ws throwing narcotics at me, which while I did need them, was still in pain, I was baffled and depressed by his demeanor. Next thing I know, I get a letter, He's moving to southern Cal, (I'm in Oregon) and closing his practice. His partners are not taking new patients at this time. By this time I am on the Oregon Health Plan, a subsidized form of medicade, and have been turned down by ssi because I dont have a diagnosis and I didnt pay enough into it when I was a small business owner. So I get the booklet of preffered care doctors, and picked one close to my house. This guys office was in a building that looked about ready to be condemmed, his was the only office open in the whole building. When I get back to see him, He is nice, but chinese and I could not understand him. He pointed at a scar on my arm from falling into a window when i was 9, and spent 40 minutes questioning me about it. I left in tears, called the insurance when I got home and said help, I dont want that guy for my doctor, what do I do? (He had given me a script for 20 vicodin to last 3 months also shouldnt have filled it, but I did) they said dont worry about it, we will recommend someone. So they recommend this young guy, and he's not in that week, but I can see a lady doctor partner of his. She was awesome! she saw that my arm was swollen, and she had also had a fusion at c-7 and had some of the same issues I had. I asked her on the spot to be my doctor, and even though she had a full practice, she agreed. we worked out a pain contract and she put me on anti depressants, I was supposed to come back in a month. When I came back, everyone acted weird, The nurse came in and said 'Did you think we wouldn't find out about dr.___??' (The chinese guy) he had billed insurance for a complete physical even though all he did was ask me about a 30 year old scar for 40 minutes. they told him that I had decided not to go to him, so they would only pay for an initial exam. He found out I was seeing my new, wonderful doctor, and CALLED her asking for a referral so he could bill insurance for a full exam. She assumed I was Dr. Shopping. I started crying and said no no no how could I ask for a referral, when I saw him I had never even MET you, I called insurance and said I didnt want him, and they recommended you. THANK GOD they listened and believed me or i don't know where I would be today. It is now 9+ years later, My doc has opened her own practice in a nearby town (I followed her, of course!) and my quality of life and my support system through her office and staff is WONDERFUL! I am married to a man who is Bi-polar, so I deal with many medical and RX issues and these boards have been a God-send to me, I feel like the bee girl in that old video who 'finds her people'! Shoreline, Tk, and many others have been warm and friendly and I couldnt be more greatful!
~Elaine-Fabby
female/42
bone fusion at C-7 in 1994
DDD
bulging discs at C-6 and C-8
chronic lower back pain and facet dysfuntion
I suffered from TMJ disorders in my 20's, had a surgery and have been much better ever since, still use a bite guard appliance at night

Hello all. I am 45 yrs old and have been living with spondylilothesis of the L5 for about 22yrs now, I was first diagnosed after an industrial accident and had a slip of 12mm, it cause sever pain in my legs with tingleing sensations up and down mainly the left leg, I was told by the specialist that they would not operate as only about 3% of the operations were successful. that as I was still able to walk but may come out of an operation in a wheel chair. So I tried to get on with life, but about six years later I was doing a bit of landscapeing when I slipped and twisted as I tried to keep my balance and not drop what i was carrying, caused a further slip of 3mm, which made it 15mm, it changed the sort of pain that I was suffering (much worse now) but still the doctors where not willing to operate, I was forced onto a pension, but before they would approve me for the pension, I was required to do a rehabilatation program, which they put me through quite abit of differant programs, in the end they made me go to the gym to try and strengthen my back mussles, one exercise they wanted me to do was very questionable, and even though I put up my objections, I was told I had to do it or I would not be considered for a pension, so on doing this exercise or at least going down for the third time, (litteraly) my spine went crack!! that even the instructor heard it several metres away, pains shot up and down my legs and I got up from the floor and went home and couldn,t move because oof severe pain for several weeks, on going back to the doctors annd more xrays, it showed a further movement of 2mm (now at 17mm). Of cause I was put on the pension. but now about 10yrs on and some more xrays, It has now slipped to 19mm, but still no question of any operation, (not that I want any). The thing that I have found to help me dealing with the pain best is sulluble panadol, it appears to work the quickest and the best for me, exspecially when I am woken up at night with excruciating pain right down in the end of my tail bone, but I have to get onto it quickly or else I can suffer in painfor some time. Well thats about it for now, there is more I could say to explain what I have experienced, but that would take too long.
Regards Mike.....